If you are new to the forums, you must login or register a free account before you can post. The forums and the rest of www.chronofhorse.com has single registration, so your log in information for one will automatically work for the other. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Chronicle of the Horse.

Your forum sign-up is not complete, you must add an Alias/Screen Name before you can post to the forums. Your name and email is not exposed to Forum users, only the Screen Name is accessible or viewable. The forums and the rest of www.chronofhorse.com has single sign-in, so your log in information for one will automatically work for the other. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Chronicle of the Horse.

Please complete your profile. The forums and the rest of www.chronofhorse.com has single sign-in, so your log in information for one will automatically work for the other. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of The Chronicle of the Horse.

Announcement

Collapse

Forum rules and no-advertising policy

As a participant on this forum, it is your responsibility to know and follow our rules. Please read this message in its entirety.

Board Rules

1. You’re responsible for what you say.
As outlined in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, The Chronicle of the Horse and its affiliates, as well Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd., the developers of vBulletin, are not legally responsible for statements made in the forums.

This is a public forum viewed by a wide spectrum of people, so please be mindful of what you say and who might be reading it—details of personal disputes are likely better handled privately. While posters are legally responsible for their statements, the moderators may in their discretion remove or edit posts that violate these rules. Users have the ability to modify or delete their own messages after posting, but administrators generally will not delete posts, threads or accounts upon request.

Outright inflammatory, vulgar, harassing, malicious or otherwise inappropriate statements and criminal charges unsubstantiated by a reputable news source or legal documentation will not be tolerated and will be dealt with at the discretion of the moderators.

2. Conversations in horse-related forums should be horse-related.
The forums are a wonderful source of information and support for members of the horse community. While it’s understandably tempting to share information or search for input on other topics upon which members might have a similar level of knowledge, members must maintain the focus on horses.

3. Keep conversations productive, on topic and civil.
Discussion and disagreement are inevitable and encouraged; personal insults, diatribes and sniping comments are unproductive and unacceptable. Whether a subject is light-hearted or serious, keep posts focused on the current topic and of general interest to other participants of that thread. Utilize the private message feature or personal email where appropriate to address side topics or personal issues not related to the topic at large.

4. No advertising in the discussion forums.
Posts in the discussion forums directly or indirectly advertising horses, jobs, items or services for sale or wanted will be removed at the discretion of the moderators. Use of the private messaging feature or email addresses obtained through users’ profiles for unsolicited advertising is not permitted.

Company representatives may participate in discussions and answer questions about their products or services, or suggest their products on recent threads if they fulfill the criteria of a query. False "testimonials" provided by company affiliates posing as general consumers are not appropriate, and self-promotion of sales, ad campaigns, etc. through the discussion forums is not allowed.

Paid advertising is available on our classifieds site and through the purchase of banner ads. The tightly monitored Giveaways forum permits free listings of genuinely free horses and items available or wanted (on a limited basis). Items offered for trade are not allowed.

Advertising Policy Specifics
When in doubt of whether something you want to post constitutes advertising, please contact a moderator privately in advance for further clarification. Refer to the following points for general guidelines:

Horses – Only general discussion about the buying, leasing, selling and pricing of horses is permitted. If the post contains, or links to, the type of specific information typically found in a sales or wanted ad, and it’s related to a horse for sale, regardless of who’s selling it, it doesn’t belong in the discussion forums.

Stallions – Board members may ask for suggestions on breeding stallion recommendations. Stallion owners may reply to such queries by suggesting their own stallions, only if their horse fits the specific criteria of the original poster. Excessive promotion of a stallion by its owner or related parties is not permitted and will be addressed at the discretion of the moderators.

Services – Members may use the forums to ask for general recommendations of trainers, barns, shippers, farriers, etc., and other members may answer those requests by suggesting themselves or their company, if their services fulfill the specific criteria of the original post. Members may not solicit other members for business if it is not in response to a direct, genuine query.

Products – While members may ask for general opinions and suggestions on equipment, trailers, trucks, etc., they may not list the specific attributes for which they are in the market, as such posts serve as wanted ads.

Event Announcements – Members may post one notification of an upcoming event that may be of interest to fellow members, if the original poster does not benefit financially from the event. Such threads may not be “bumped” excessively. Premium members may post their own notices in the Event Announcements forum.

Charities/Rescues – Announcements for charitable or fundraising events can only be made for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Special exceptions may be made, at the moderators’ discretion and direction, for board-related events or fundraising activities in extraordinary circumstances.

Occasional posts regarding horses available for adoption through IRS-registered horse rescue or placement programs are permitted in the appropriate forums, but these threads may be limited at the discretion of the moderators. Individuals may not advertise or make announcements for horses in need of rescue, placement or adoption unless the horse is available through a recognized rescue or placement agency or government-run entity or the thread fits the criteria for and is located in the Giveaways forum.

5. Do not post copyrighted photographs unless you have purchased that photo and have permission to do so.

6. Respect other members.
As members are often passionate about their beliefs and intentions can easily be misinterpreted in this type of environment, try to explore or resolve the inevitable disagreements that arise in the course of threads calmly and rationally.

If you see a post that you feel violates the rules of the board, please click the “alert” button (exclamation point inside of a triangle) in the bottom left corner of the post, which will alert ONLY the moderators to the post in question. They will then take whatever action, or no action, as deemed appropriate for the situation at their discretion. Do not air grievances regarding other posters or the moderators in the discussion forums.

Please be advised that adding another user to your “Ignore” list via your User Control Panel can be a useful tactic, which blocks posts and private messages by members whose commentary you’d rather avoid reading.

7. We have the right to reproduce statements made in the forums.
The Chronicle of the Horse may copy, quote, link to or otherwise reproduce posts, or portions of posts, in print or online for advertising or editorial purposes, if attributed to their original authors, and by posting in this forum, you hereby grant to The Chronicle of the Horse a perpetual, non-exclusive license under copyright and other rights, to do so.

8. We reserve the right to enforce and amend the rules.
The moderators may delete, edit, move or close any post or thread at any time, or refrain from doing any of the foregoing, in their discretion, and may suspend or revoke a user’s membership privileges at any time to maintain adherence to the rules and the general spirit of the forum. These rules may be amended at any time to address the current needs of the board.

To say "she makes out" kiiiiiiiinda reads to me like you feel you're doing her a favor.

I'm a 34yo "horse girl" and I absolutely feel like I "make out." (But, I totally know what you mean, hence the green thumb to your post!)

I work 3 weekends a month where I board, for an astonishing $75/day off my board. Considering I handle, feed, turn out/in, and clean stalls for 10 horses - all of which takes maybe 2hr 15min (1hr 30min AM and 45min PM) each day - yea, I'm totally making out! I'm the first person my BOs have had work off board. I believe they realized very quickly how great it was to have time away from their duties, all the while knowing that they could trust me and my abilities completely.

As for how to find people like me, I second the Craigslist thought! I see ads on our local CL often for people looking to work off board. Always important to do a trial run and set all expectations up front immediately.

“Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.” ~Emerson

Comment

I really did love TX. But I think part of it was dedication to my TAP. Texas Assimilation Program. I promptly learned to say y'all, accept the "to go" cup at the liquor store (I truly thought they were pulling my leg) and not laugh when someone tried to sell me a front wheel drive pickup. (I didn't know they MADE trucks w/o 4WD!) Also, TX has brisket. Really good brisket.

And the bluebonnets and indian paint brush. Who can not like bluebonnets?

Anyway...

I would ask your farrier about horse kids in the area. Surely your farrier will know someone. Farriers are the hairdressers of the horse world IMHO. ESPECIALLY in TX! They know everyone's business and then some!

A good horseman doesn't have to tell anyone...the horse already knows.

Might be a reason, never an excuse...

Comment

Windor, yes, she "makes out". Sure, I do too. But she drives right past my house (honestly, I see her drive by every day) and my setup literally takes a half an hour, and that's being a poke! Three ponies' stalls? Takes no time. So to work for basically $20/hr? And I'm not strict on am feed times, to accommodate her doing it on her way to and from school. Yea, she makes out. She also has free rein to come over and ride any time she wants.

If she had to be coming from somewhere out of her way, then yes, I would pay appropriately for her gas/time. And if an issue arose that caused her to work "overtime" she would certainly get paid for it.

She doesn't complain. Emailed her this morning to do barn work and she immediately said of course!

Heck, I'd do it if someone gave me $20 to stop by, do a few min of work and be on my way! Wouldn't be the first time I did barn work in my work clothes, under coveralls! I could pay her minimum wage, then she'd get taxed on it, and end up making about $5/hr....employers don't pay for you to drive to work, do they?

Comment

Windor, yes, she "makes out". Sure, I do too. But she drives right past my house (honestly, I see her drive by every day) and my setup literally takes a half an hour, and that's being a poke! Three ponies' stalls? Takes no time. So to work for basically $20/hr? And I'm not strict on am feed times, to accommodate her doing it on her way to and from school. Yea, she makes out. She also has free rein to come over and ride any time she wants.

If she had to be coming from somewhere out of her way, then yes, I would pay appropriately for her gas/time. And if an issue arose that caused her to work "overtime" she would certainly get paid for it.

That's good. And you didn't state in your previous post that unlimited riding was part of your deal with your own horse girl, which changes everything. It sounds like you have a win/win situation.

Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.

Comment

I work 3 weekends a month where I board, for an astonishing $75/day off my board. Considering I handle, feed, turn out/in, and clean stalls for 10 horses - all of which takes maybe 2hr 15min (1hr 30min AM and 45min PM) each day - yea, I'm totally making out!

Yes, if you're getting paid $75 for 2 hours and 15 minutes' worth of work, you are making out like a bandit!!

Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.

Comment

IMO, the best payment is riding time! If you have a horse that is beginner ridable, you can get anyone to do anything. I started out riding at my bus drivers house. I was 10. After a 3 lesson course I was itching to get back. They had offered me to come back the next day to help with grooming and help at the show they were off to. Eventually I started doing barn chores in exchange for lessons. When I got better at riding I was paid for barn chores and rode bad horses in exchange for lessons. I was also paid in tack, saddle, boots, half chaps, saddle pads, girth, polos, ect. I wouldnt have had it any other way. When kids are willing to work for riding time, they will work hard, they will be loyal and do things right.

Nothing better than an OTTB.... Just Plan Partners,Penny, you have stolen my heart<3

Comment

Consider older folks. Our main horse sitter is 70 years old and the fact he is a former constable doesn't hurt. While he no longer has a horse, he enjoys doing it for us and won't let us pay him. We try to bring him a gift from the trip or do
something in return. He works part-time where DH does and lives about 5 minutes away.

Also a couple miles down the road is an older couple who are retired. They have
horses, dogs and cats and sit for our neighbors and sometimes for us. We have
also used one of our vet's former techs but got uncomfortable with her bringing her kid along and then the fiance. And she definitely didn't have a clue about how to wrap a leg.

Besides the vet and farrier, check with the local feed store folks. Some of their help are amazing. We order about once a month and ask for a heads up phone call so we can get the gates and horses shuffled. If we have the critters/gates
shuffled already, and they haven't called, we go out to find they have put everything where it needs to go. Sometimes, the dogs fail to let us know two guys and a big truck out 100 feet away. Anyway, someone there might be a possbility.

One of my fellow foster moms does pet and horse sitting, including stay in home,
although I think she has a part-time she goes to. She's far from being a "girl."

Comment

Yes, if you're getting paid $75 for 2 hours and 15 minutes' worth of work, you are making out like a bandit!!

Agree with the above! I get roughly that to clean 12 stalls. Feed 2x, water, turnout, bring in, blanket, sweep, make feed, etc 1 day a week. I can do it in 3 hours, but I feel like I'm playing highway robber, so I usually find 6 hours worth of work to do. I also get to use the arena during the week, so I'm trying to stay 'employed'.

Comment

Ah yes... That was me and still is me... the horse-girl of the barn. BO is 68, but still is at the activity of a 30 yr old. I don't get paid hourly or even have set duties. More or less, I am home weekends from college, so I feed if I am around and clean stalls Sat and Sunday (8 horses in the barn). And fix the fence. and put up fence. and anything else I notice that has to be done. I pretty much pay at cost for board, so that is my way of making up the difference. It all started when I drove by and stopped to ask about lessons and BO said absolutely- payment can be made in stall cleaning. Since then, I have moved 2 horses into the barn, one pays full board and mine is at cost, with me taking an occasional lesson but mainly just keeping the barn going. I don't mind doing it one bit! If I was in TX way, I would be there for ya!

Comment

Dear Crone, how about an almost retired semi-senior who will be looking for a part-time job in or around Austin? That would be me. Own 4 horses myself, but enjoy the management of the horses, more than riding now.

Comment

I did have a wonderful horse 'girl' - she was English (actually she still IS English), the wife of the Huntsman of the local hunt- a terrific rider, hard worker, great with horses both youngsters and the stallion.. kind and fun to be around. And she can clip and braid.
When she first started working for me I could not believe how lucky I was.

Sadly her husband got a job with another hunt an hour and a half away, and despite my entreaties to her to leave him and let us ADOPT her, she moved away....

Ha! I know this horse girl and she is beyond fabulous! Glad she resisted your offer of adoption as she's keeping all the horses in this neck of the woods looking mighty spiffy, very prettily captured by her photographically blessed hubby!

Think it would work if I sent my BF over to you for some farm sitting so *I* can get a vacation?

Comment

Ha! I know this horse girl and she is beyond fabulous! Glad she resisted your offer of adoption as she's keeping all the horses in this neck of the woods looking mighty spiffy, very prettily captured by her photographically blessed hubby!

Think it would work if I sent my BF over to you for some farm sitting so *I* can get a vacation?

I agree, she is beyond fabulous, and a terrific person.
I love her, and I was bereft when she left. Seriously.
And unfortunately she set the bar very high for anyone coming after her.
I envy all of you out that way.

Any ideas or solutions are greatly appreciated!

A Fine Romance. April 1991 - June 2016. Loved forever.

Comment

Our best farm helper was a possible boarder's friend; still shows up during college vacations despite being away at college now. More mature than many older people we know. We had done a craigslist ad well prior, got many, many responses. We were quite clear about the time and money(very little), yet received many applicants who were over 30 miles/many minutes away. Culled the list down to a nearby woman who bad-mouthed every body we knew in the local horse businesswners, retailers, you name it: she was non-discriminatory in her disdain. So we basically ended up with no one until the then high school neighbor came along. We also have slightly older horse/farm sitters who look after the farm while we are away. We can promote the college student now that she's older(not a fair expectation of a 16 year old to farm sit alone).
Regarding hiring/keeping farm help: I would suggest that you discover what motivates them(it may well not be just $$) and to keep them make sure that your own personality doesn't get in the way. I have to be careful not to do the stall cleaner's job when she's doing her thing...that was one lesson I needed to learn!
It always comes down to saying what you will do and doing what you say...and that applies to both sides. We also tend to tip a lot, so we aren't scrimping every penny when paying a small stall cleaning or farm sitting bill, especially when they are driving a long distance for turn in and feeding only(15 minutes work). Yes you could pay them only $3.00 for the quarter hour...but seriously, it took an hour of their time.

Comment

Dear Crone, how about an almost retired semi-senior who will be looking for a part-time job in or around Austin? That would be me. Own 4 horses myself, but enjoy the management of the horses, more than riding now.

Greetings, mizzaster, I have sent you a PM. I have also sent one, albeit somewhat apprehensively on account of the name, to someone named Toxicity.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I have enjoyed reading about the vaunted English horse girl who knows no peer; the story simultaneously restores my faith in the whole Horse Girl Industrial Complex while reconfirming the Buddha's depressing maxim that nothing is forever.

I will enlighten the group as to any new developments in this riveting saga as they emerge. And now, on the off chance that a horse girl with internet access even exists in my hood, I'm off to compose my Craigslist ad, lard help me.

Dreadful Acres: the chronicle of my extraordinary unsuitability to country life

Comment

Ms. Crone, I just read your blog and am pea-green with envy over your writing!

Not to brag, well, yeah I'm bragging, we have Barn Women. At 57, I am the oldest. It started out, for me, a number of years ago when I realized that my BO/Trainer had to feed 20 horses, turn out, muck stalls and give lessons on Sundays. So, I started showing up to help clean stalls. Then it was earlier and I helped dump feed and make up the dinner feed. Then I just started dumping feed and making up dinner feed and turning horses out. At one point, we had a group of six cleaning stalls and it became a game to see how fast we could get it done. Record, pick, shavings, dump and fill water buckets, two hours.

Several years later, I am still the same barn. On Saturdays and Sundays, I do the morning feed and turn out, and make up dinner feed. The rest of the crew (2) arrives and we, plus the BO between lessons, clean stalls, only 16 now. Sunday is the same.

You may think my BO gets a good deal by having barn help - but I don't think so. I have learned more about handling horses, how to be when around them, what to look for in a possibly off horse, when is a roll not a roll, how to deal with a flighty horse, than I ever though possible - and I learned it all from my BO, who is amazing. It also helps that she demands that all of the horses in the barn have impeccable ground manners.

And nothing bad happened!

Comment

Well if you are serious and looking for a horse girl, I have been one for several years. I am 19 and will be moving to Texas from Florida early January and am not sure what kind of cut backs I'll need to make when it comes to riding. I am looking for a place to go to and work some. I'd love to tell you more about my experience and see if you think I could work for you, especially if you'll be nearby. My email is raeshanks@gmail.com and I check it several times a day so feel free to email me if it is something you're interested in!

Comment

Speaking of bias, that's not the first Texas diss I've read here. What's with the anti-Texas vitriol? It's sunny, the State Lege is a laff-riot, there's no annoying snow, and we have fabulous high-profile murders all the time. We produced Ann Richards and Molly Ivins. We've got beaches, mountains, deserts, swamps, pine forests, Austin, and three huge cities. The wine is starting to not suck.

As it happens, Mosey, I've spent a lot of time in Illinois, north, south, and middle. If I were prone to pettiness -- which of course I'm not! -- I'd say the most captivating thing about the state is the giant ketchup bottle in Collinsville.

I'm sorry, I meant it in jest I often forget that people can't really hear my tone of voice on the internet, I truly apologize. All I know about Texas is that it's hot and my brother is there, which is why I'm anti-Texas, but it's personal issues, not the state itself

It's a small world -- unless you gotta walk home.

Comment

Call your vet. Ask if he/she has anyone registered with them (that they trust) or in their office who can do the chores daily or can be scheduled for horse sitting. Ask the same of your farrier, equine chiro, masseuse, dentist, the competing vets, etc. If they come up empty, then call the local large and small boarding operations/trainers, FFA, Pony Club, 4-H groups, Ag. Colleges/vet schools, etc in your area. Someone should be able to help you out.

ETA: some of my best accounts came from folks in this type of situation. One guy actually went 25 years without taking a vacation until he finally caved in and called his vet for a reference. His vet was my vet, I was registered at the office for horse sitting. Fifteen years later, I was still working the account regularly throughout the year for long weekends and vacations. Give it a try.

This!! I have a miracle worker goddess horse girl who can wrap, medicate, train, is absolutely FANf'ingTASTIC to do horsecare so my mom doesn't have to. She does a BUNCH of stuff in addition to basic feeding and cleaning for a base rate of $350 plus extra.Worth every penny and a lot more. I am that crone out here in Montana-my husband is NOT a reliable "horse boy" although when I am gone he can feed and water but his job is waaaay too demanding to maintain a horse care schedule. And you are so right, managing Mt manure, dealing with the paddock and pasture (a nightmare athe moment, frozen rock solid, I hate it), fencing, hauling hay (husband is FABULOUS on that end) is a major lifestyle choice. I think "living the dream" every day I am hauling manure in knee deep mud, dragging 90 lb hay bales, trenching the paddock, buckling up a blanket with frozen little fingers, draining the hose....sigh. I ADORE them, cannot imaging my life without a "feeding schedule" but there are days.....